Unfortunately, there are a lot of materials that can contribute to poor indoor air quality. Particulates like dust and pollen, household products like cleaners, and pesticides are all common indoor air pollutants. These and more can contribute to health problems such as shortness of breath and irritated sinuses.
Luckily, an HVAC system can minimize issues such as these. However, it has to be working properly. To get a system to this level of effectiveness, you may need heating and cooling maintenance services.
Unfortunately, finding the best type of these requires more effort than just typing “HVAC near me”, “AC repair near me”, ” heating and cooling near me”, etc. into the search bar. Read on to learn six questions to ask companies HVAC maintenance companies before you hire them.
1. How Long Has Your Company Operated Locally?
Great AC and heating tune-up services can require more than just fixing issues. Having a large amount of experience in the local area can also be a huge benefit.
Having decades of experience is one way to prove that a local company has been satisfying its customers. If the quality of service customers received was poor, they likely won’t keep coming back to the service. This would have led to the company going out of business.
Beyond that, a long-standing local company will have a lot of knowledge about the many facets of the area. With this knowledge, they will know how to tailor your HVAC system so that it fights well against what the local area can throw at it.
For example, certain types of HVAC might stand up better to the intense Texas heat than others. Established local technicians should be able to recommend these should you ever need to replace your system. They can also recommend appropriate accessories and other parts.
2. What Are All the Services That You Offer?
Before you decide upon a company to use, you must know the technicians can help you. Not all heating and cooling repair companies offer the same services and you don’t want to end up wasting your time with the wrong company. Be sure to learn what exact services you need (repair, replacement, etc.) and check if the company has those services.
It’s also a good idea to aim for a company that offers multiple services. This can save you from having to search for other companies should when you need certain services in the future.
For example, an HVAC company may also offer appliance repair services. As long as both of these services seem to be of high enough quality, you may want to consider them over others.
To learn if these other services are good enough, you can apply a lot of the methods mentioned in this article. Read the reviews, look at the experience levels, search for the proper licensing, etc.
3. Are Your Technicians Trained, Licensed, and Certified?
Before HVAC techs can fix your air conditioner leaking problems, they need a lot of proper experience and knowledge. The exact qualifications that HVAC technicians need to operate legally can vary from state to state. However, even when it’s not legally required, you should seek out technicians with training, licensing, and certification.
Technicians are usually required to spend a few years in an apprenticeship program. Then they can apply for a license. As the exam they need to pass to get this license requires significant knowledge, you can be certain a licensed technician is a high-quality one.
Most certifications are similar to licenses in that they prove a technician’s knowledge and experience. This isn’t the case with the legally necessary EPA section certification. Be sure to ask about this as any professional who handles refrigerants (this can include HVAC techs) must have one.
4. Can I Get an Itemized Bill and Service Contract?
An illegitimate HVAC company may be unwilling to tell you every single service they charge you for. This is often done so that they can put hidden fees on the final price and/or perform services that you didn’t ask for. If you suspect that the final bill is too large, you can’t contest any charges without having evidence of what you were charged for.
A service contract can work much the same way. You can sign a service contract that allows the HVAC technicians to perform whatever services they want. You may start with an AC pan leaking fix and end up getting several parts replaced.
Therefore, you must ask to get everything in writing as soon as you get an AC repair free estimate, free furnace estimate, etc. Any company that refuses to give you this information is likely illegitimate.
5. Where Can I Find Reviews and References?
Legitimate companies will not be afraid to mention the client’s that they’ve worked with before. Many companies should even have reviews written on their website. Keep in mind, though, that you will probably only find positive reviews on the website.
To get negative reviews, you’ll likely need to look elsewhere. Try looking at sites such as Yelp and Google Customer Reviews. These reviews can be fake, but it’s usually pretty easy to spot fake ones.
6. Which HVAC Systems Have You Worked On?
This is a small detail, but it can be what helps you ultimately decide to choose one service over another. Learn the make and model of your HVAC system. Ask the company how much experience they’ve had working with this type.
You probably want to choose a company that knows more about your particular unit than one that doesn’t.
Stop Searching “HVAC Near Me” and Look At Our Services
You should be able to get the answers to your questions rather quickly. This should give you more than enough time to perform a thorough search of several different options.
Also, while you’re performing your “HVAC near me” search, consider looking at our services. We’ve been offering residential and commercial HVAC services in Houston and the surrounding areas for over 35 years. Contact us for an estimate and ask about our senior and military discounts.
